Ideas for Dundee? not necessarily quilty!

Hello Jennell,

I lived in Dundee for 11 years, but did not have a child at that time. However, I can recommend the Sensation museum near the rail station - it explores the 5 senses (hearing, touch, taste, sight, smell) but may be a bit advanced for a 1-year-old. It does look like fun and primary school children often go there for trips. Also, directly across the street from the rail station in Dundee is the Discovery ship which took Scott to the Antarctic. It's nice to walk along the riverfront and just look at the ship, and loads cheaper than actually going into the visitor centre. There are metal emporer penguins cemented into the pavement outside the visitor centre which would probably appeal to a 1-year-old for a while anyway. Further down the riverfront is the frigate Unicorn, the oldest British warship still afloat. I think it is about a 10-minute walk eastwards from the Discovery.

On the Nethergate, just before it turns into Perth road, is the Dundee Contemporary Arts building. They have different workshops going on in there all the time, including ones for children to make different crafts. Again, it might be a bit too old for a 1-year-old, but it just springs to mind.

One thing that all visitors to Dundee like to do, is to drive to the top of the Law (extinct volcanic plug, which is now the tallest hill in Dundee) and get a good view of Dundee, the river Tay, and on a good day you can see St. Andrews to the Southeast. There are signs that tell you about the history of the Law and that sort of thing up there as well.

Probably the best thing to do is to get a bus out to Broughty Ferry which is about 5 miles to the east of Dundee and now incorporated into the City of Dundee. Broughty Ferry has a great Italian cafe and ice creamery on Grey street, not far from the rail station there. Also, it has a castle which is open from April to October, and is cool to look at even if you don't go in. It is right on the beach, and that would probably be a winner for a 1-year-old on a reasonably good day. Can you bring a few toys and make some sandcastles? The water is freezing all year long, but it's a nice beach to play in the sand and fly kites!

Another winner would be Camperdown Park, which is in the Northern bit of the city, up by the movie theatre and ice rink. This would involve a bus journey or a taxi drive, but it would be worth it, because they have a petting zoo and nice walks in the woods. My friend Keiko takes her triplets there on the weekends sometimes, and they really, really enjoy it. (They turn 5 on April 13).

There are several regular parks in the city with basic playground equipment as well such as slides and swings. I suppose the nearest one to the city centre would be the one along Magdalen Yard Road - you can walk along Riverside Drive west from the train station, until you get to a bridge which takes southbound trains from Dundee. If you go under the bridge and then turn sharply to your right and walk up the little hill you should see it to your right. Well, the half of the park on your right has swings and climbing equipment, etc and the half on your left is a nice big grassy place to run and play. There is a bandstand that the triplets liked to run around in and drive their little Thomas the Tank engine trains along the railings when they were about 1 or 18 months old.

Those are my recommendations based on my stay there and my experience with the triplets. I hope this helps!

-- Jo in Scotland (formerly Dundee)

The Verdant Works jute factory museum - absolutely brilliant, one of the best museums I have ever been to anywhere.

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